FAQ
Ground-level wind, answered
The questions engineers, operators and investors ask about AEROGRID® — the physics, the evidence, the economics and the IP.
In short
A platform, not a device
AEROGRID® turns ground-level wind into a mass-producible, ground-serviceable energy product, built on the wind physics platform developed and validated by Katrick Technologies.
Katrick spent years solving the hard science: mapping how wind really behaves near the ground, capturing energy from turbulence, and converting chaotic input into stable power. That work reached TRL 5 with sign-off from the University of Strathclyde. AEROGRID carries it forward, refining the design for volume manufacture, simple installation and maintenance carried out at ground level rather than at height.
AEROGRID by CP Asia is part of Katrick's Dual Engine strategy. It pairs the speed and flexibility of CP Asia, a highly technical SME, with the precision and robust engineering of Bosch, a global manufacturing multinational. Together they take Katrick's validated technology from the lab to the market faster, without compromising on quality and robustness.
Last updated 19 Oct 2026
Wind and the ground-level physics problem
Why has ground-level wind failed historically?
Not for lack of energy. It failed because wind near the ground behaves very differently from the assumptions behind conventional wind design.
Near the ground, wind is turbulent, intermittent, highly directional and dominated by short gusts rather than steady flow. Most earlier approaches relied on averaged meteorological data and designed for smooth, predictable inflow. That misrepresents the energy actually available and produces systems optimized for the wrong wind regime.
The failure was systemic. Ground-level wind needs three problems solved together: understanding the resource as it really behaves, capturing turbulent energy, and converting chaotic mechanical input into stable electrical output. Previous efforts tackled one at a time. Katrick was the first to address all three, and AEROGRID is built on that foundation.
Why are there so many wind turbines, but almost no ground-level wind devices?
Conventional turbines succeed because they operate at height, where wind is relatively steady, low in turbulence and predictable. Their economics depend on that consistency.
At ground level those conditions do not exist. Direction shifts rapidly, turbulence is high and energy arrives in bursts. Devices that ignore this see poor yield, high mechanical stress and unstable output.
Many earlier ground-level concepts tried better aerodynamics, enclosed rotors or new geometries, but kept the same assumptions about wind and power conversion. Ground-level wind does not need another device. It needs a different system-level solution.
What is novel about the technology behind AEROGRID?
It is built around a complete ground-level wind physics architecture, developed by Katrick, rather than a single component.
Three elements must work together for any ground-level wind product to be commercially viable. Remove one and viability collapses, much like the fire triangle:
- Wind mapping and software to show where energy actually exists, how it fluctuates, and where systems should and should not go.
- Turbulence-specific aerodynamics using multi-duct structures and independently oscillating aerofoils to capture energy from chaotic, fast-changing flow.
- A decoupled hydraulic powertrain that converts irregular mechanical input into stable, usable electricity.
Earlier technologies typically improved aerodynamics alone. Katrick solved the whole triangle. AEROGRID packages it into a product designed to be built in volume and serviced from the ground.
How does an AEROGRID panel capture varying wind speeds and directions?
Capture starts with placement. Ground-level wind is highly local, so wind mapping identifies viable sites, predicts energy stability and sets the optimal orientation before anything is installed.
Once in place, the multi-duct structure channels and stabilizes turbulent flow. Each duct houses aerofoils that respond independently to local gusts, harvesting energy from many small pockets rather than one large swept area. This makes the system tolerant of rapid changes in speed and direction. In fact, the AEROGRID system relies on this.
The captured mechanical energy is inherently variable. Katrick's patented hydraulic powertrain decouples capture from generation, smoothing fluctuations into controlled output. Without that decoupling, even effective aerodynamic capture cannot deliver commercially usable electricity at ground level.
What makes this credible compared with other small wind concepts?
It addresses the full dynamics of ground-level wind at platform level, rather than offering a single device or an incremental tweak.
- System-level IP from Katrick integrates wind understanding, turbulent aerodynamics and power conversion, supporting multiple product configurations and licensed product lines.
- Independent validation core physics and system function validated to TRL 5, with formal sign-off from the University of Strathclyde and stage-gate progress with Bosch and CP Asia.
- Academic and industrial partners developed with Heriot-Watt University and the Manufacturing Technology Centre.
- Industrialization progressing through a structured programme with Bosch, bringing world-class engineering, manufacturing and system integration. This is coupled with RapidScale deployment via CP Asia.
Under Katrick's Dual Engine strategy, AEROGRID by CP Asia turns that validated platform into a product that can be manufactured, installed and maintained at scale.
How do sand and particulates affect the panels?
Why sand and salt damage large turbines. Large turbines concentrate very high aerodynamic loading on a small blade area. Tip speeds reach tens of metres per second, so sand and salt hit the leading edge with high energy. The result is erosion, lost performance and costly repairs at height. The driver is speed and load concentration, not simply exposure.
Why AEROGRID is different. The panels run at low aerofoil surface speeds with no rotating tips. Energy capture is spread across many oscillating aerofoils, which sharply reduces impact energy and avoids wear hotspots. The governing factor is relative surface velocity, not height above ground.
| Large wind turbines | AEROGRID panel | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface speed | Very high tip speeds | Low, with no tip-speed amplification |
| Where wear lands | Narrow leading-edge regions | Spread across many aerofoils |
| Effect on output | Rapid loss of annual energy yield | Gradual, not performance-critical |
| Repairs | Complex, costly, at height | At ground level, with standard access |
Ducts and idle periods. Engineers rightly ask about the ducts. In operation, flow inside the duct is faster than ambient, so fine sand stays airborne, and convergent-divergent geometry avoids stagnation zones. Over long idle periods some sand can settle. This is designed for, not assumed away:
- Convergent-divergent ducts that minimize dead zones
- Passive drains at duct low points
- Wind-driven self-purge on restart, using normal inflow rather than active cleaning
- Optional site-specific intake add-ons where particulate loading is high
Site-specific design. Katrick's mapping can measure particulate levels as well as wind direction and turbulence. That lets duct geometry, intakes and protection be tailored to each site, with findings fed into the industrialization programme. Because every panel sits at ground level, inspection and cleaning need no cranes or rope access, keeping operating costs low.
Evidence and validation
What evidence is there that the physics works?
Katrick has demonstrated the core physics through several independent routes, and this body of evidence underpins AEROGRID.
| Milestone | Partner | What it established |
|---|---|---|
| TRL 5 sign-off | University of Strathclyde, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Cameron Johnstone, Head of Department) | Prototype bench testing of aerofoil oscillation, control and power conversion; core system works as intended in a relevant environment |
| Wind mapping validation | Dr Wolf-Gerrit Früh, Heriot-Watt University | Conventional meteorological data significantly underrepresents ground-level energy; Katrick's method captures the true turbulent resource |
| Peer-reviewed presentation | ICREPQ 2025, Tenerife | Work exposed to international technical scrutiny |
| First full wind mapping study | Edinburgh Airport | Formally reported findings now informing live projects |
| Engineering oversight | Manufacturing Technology Centre | Independent development support throughout |
| Industrialization | Bosch | Technical workshops, review of the breakthroughs, and a formal innovation and industrialization programme |
Wind mapping is already a revenue-generating commercial service, used by site owners to assess their own ground-level wind potential. The technology is now moving through a structured proof-of-concept and industrialization pathway with Bosch and CP Asia.
Is ground-level wind significant, and comparable to solar?
Yes. Katrick's mapping shows that sites with mean wind speeds above 4 m/s consistently see high-energy gust events. These gusts hold most of the usable energy, yet averaged meteorological data largely hides them.
Combining global wind heat mapping with on-site validation, Katrick's analysis indicates ground-level wind could be viable across up to 80% of global land mass.
Ground-level wind remains highly site-specific. Local channelling, shielding and terrain strongly affect what is available, so mapping and site validation come before every deployment. AEROGRID panels are only installed where commercially viable performance is expected.
Ground-level wind also behaves differently from solar. It is often strongest in winter and available day and night, which makes the two highly complementary, especially in the northern hemisphere.
Does AEROGRID replace turbines or solar?
No. It unlocks a part of the energy landscape those technologies do not reach, and is designed to work alongside them.
Turbines need height and steady wind. Solar is limited by daylight, season and land use. AEROGRID captures turbulent ground-level wind in places turbines cannot go and where solar alone falls short. But remember, AEROGRID also takes advantage of its existing footprint by adding solar to boost daytime energy capture.
Today solar is effectively the only scalable behind-the-meter renewable. Ground-level wind adds a second option with different daily and seasonal patterns. As a hybrid, AEROGRID combines the two into a more resilient, balanced local energy system.
Is it commercially feasible?
Yes, though like every transformative energy technology it follows a learning curve.
Early units will cost more, as wind turbines and solar did. When combined with solar above the Wind Panel Arrays, the target is an LCOE of around US$0.08 per kWh, falling as manufacturing scales, design is refined and volumes grow. AEROGRID's focus on design for mass production and ground-level servicing is aimed squarely at driving down both build and operating cost.
First customers, Vanguard Integration Partners, are chosen deliberately for their local reach and capabilities for AEROGRID installation and service. Airports, as a high value segment, have high and rising demand from electrification and EV charging, strong net zero pressure, and real barriers to conventional wind and large-scale solar. That supports a premium entry price, backed locally by project funding and government decarbonisation programmes. Mapping then targets high load-factor sites so early deployments maximize yield and accelerate cost reduction.
Airports are restricted environments. How is this viable?
Airports are restricted, but they are also one of the strongest use cases.
Certification and approval are being addressed through the Bosch collaboration, with Edinburgh Airport as launch customer. Edinburgh Airport will act as the interface with the Civil Aviation Authority, supplying the operational, safety and regulatory inputs and leading CAA engagement ahead of commercial launch.
Those requirements feed into the Bosch-led industrialization framework, where they become design, safety and system requirements. Low-profile, ground-level panels also avoid many of the height and obstruction issues tall structures raise near runways.
Starting in one of the most regulated environments is deliberate. Meeting airport standards from the outset makes later approvals elsewhere, and adaptation for less regulated sectors, much simpler.
From Katrick's technology to AEROGRID
What does the AEROGRID team add to Katrick's technology?
Katrick proved the physics. The AEROGRID team's job is to make it a product that can be built, installed and maintained at scale. Its refinements fall into three areas.
Design for mass production
- Standardized, modular panels and ducts suited to high-volume manufacturing and local assembly/installation
- Fewer unique parts and common components across the modular grid framework
- Materials and processes chosen for repeatable quality and lower unit cost
- Alignment with the Bosch-led industrialization programme
Ground-level installation and maintenance
- All key components reachable by ground service staff, with no cranes, rope access or work at height
- Modular, swappable assemblies so a single ‘Cassette’ section assembly can be exchanged and serviced off site without shutting down any other ducts, or hexes, in the array
- Remote monitoring through AEROGRID PULSE™
- Routine onsite checks, including duct drains and wash-off conditions
- Lower maintenance time and cost, supporting the LCOE trajectory
Solar Hybrid system integration
- Designed to sit alongside, and combine with, solar for day-and-night, all-season output
- Site-specific configuration driven by Katrick's wind and particulate mapping
What are the expected product specifications?
Panel dimensions, rated output, expected annual yield per MW installed at reference wind speed, design life, service interval and target cost per unit at volume are published on the Technology page, alongside the LCOE benchmarks and the site calculator.
What is the expected cost and LCOE?
The target trajectory is an LCOE of under US$0.08 per kWh at MW scale and as wind mapping continues to identify premium site locations.
Business model, deployment and market
How is AEROGRID brought to market?
AEROGRID by CP Asia is one of two engines in Katrick's Dual Engine strategy, running alongside the Bosch industrialization programme. CP Asia brings the speed and flexibility of a specialist SME; Bosch brings global manufacturing precision and disciplined design.
How big is the market, and why now?
Ground-level wind is viable across up to 80% of global land mass, yet has gone almost entirely unused. The opportunity resembles the early days of solar: the resource always existed but lacked a physics-based way to turn it into reliable electricity.
Target sectors include distributed energy, airports, ports, infrastructure, industrial estates, residential developments and existing wind farms. Combined, these represent an estimated $290 billion market by 2030, based on Mordor Intelligence analysis. The timing is driven by electrification, grid constraints, net zero targets and the limits of solar alone. AEROGRID meets the demand for more behind-the-meter generation with a product that works day and night, performs strongly in winter and complements existing renewables.
IP, defensibility and valuation
What patents protect the technology, and how defensible are they?
The technology behind AEROGRID is protected by Katrick's system-level IP portfolio, built on three integrated core concepts, each tackling one part of the ground-level wind problem.
1. Ground-level wind mapping and software. Conventional approaches rely on averaged data that understates ground-level energy. Katrick's method captures high-resolution, short-interval wind behaviour, identifying gust energy, directional variability and stability bands. It defines where ground-level wind works and where it does not, cutting deployment risk. It is defensible because it combines data collection, analytics and predictive software, not a single algorithm or dataset.
2. Turbulence-specific aerodynamics. Rather than optimizing for smooth flow, multi-duct architectures and independently oscillating aerofoils stabilize and extract energy from chaotic, multi-directional wind. Most earlier designs tried to avoid turbulence; this one treats it as the resource. Protection sits at concept level, not just one geometry, making it hard to design around.
3. Decoupled hydraulic powertrain. Ground-level wind produces irregular mechanical input that cannot be turned directly into usable electricity without heavy losses or instability. Separating capture from generation lets that input be smoothed, controlled and converted efficiently. This is a key reason the system works commercially at ground level, and a major barrier to copying it.
Why it is defensible. The strength lies in combining all three pillars in one architecture. Competitors typically address one in isolation; matching the performance would mean replicating all three together.
What is the IP valued at, and who valued it?
Katrick's wind IP portfolio was independently valued by Inngot, a specialist IP valuation firm that works with major financial institutions.
- Method: income-based, mainly relief-from-royalty, aligned with international valuation standards
- Basis: risk-weighted present-day value; the most relevant case is the upside scenario, at a 5% royalty rate under UK Patent Box treatment
- Value: £37 to £45 million (or US$50 to US$60 million)
The valuation reflects the scalable licensing model, the breadth of the market and the strength of the patents.
Still have questions
Ask the programme team
Site assessments, wind mapping studies and Vanguard territory enquiries all go to the same desk.